Perpetually linked on the AASV website homepage is an article written by Dr Snelson in 2012. In that article, he poses the question, “Who advocates for swine veterinarians?”1 Spoiler alert: it’s you!
Like it or not, being a swine veterinarian means being an advocate. Sometimes you are an advocate for agriculture, sometimes for public health, hopefully often for yourself, but you are always an advocate for the pig.
Advocacy might be needed in many spaces. Perhaps in the classroom with students curious or concerned how pigs are raised. Occasionally with our barnyard colleagues. Certainly with legislators, regulators, and any other decision makers in policy development and implementation. Often with influencers who may drive consumer perceptions and policy makers. And as we have recently experienced, even within our own veterinary profession.
No matter where, when, or why the need for advocacy arises, we can be sure that if we do not advocate for ourselves, no one else will. In our small profession, we have an obligation and an opportunity to share our expertise developed from our unique experiences as swine veterinarians. No one else can describe how a proposed change will impact your daily life. In our absence, however, someone else who may have a different motive will speak for us. We want decision makers to hear about animal health, animal welfare, and veterinary practice from you. Now, I hope you feel empowered to start advocating.
First, stay informed. Watch the e-Letter for announcements about proposed rulemaking. Listen to webinars hosted by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) or AASV. Observe regulatory agency public forums describing proposed policy changes. Review AASV committee reports. Read trade publications for situational awareness of issues the industry is facing. Subscribe to the AVMA Congressional Advocacy Network to monitor decisions that impact veterinarians, animal health, animal welfare, and public health.2
By staying informed, something might pique your interest, or you might learn about something that could have a significant impact on the way you practice veterinary medicine.
Next, get involved! Participate in an AASV committee. The AASV Board of Directors establishes committees to address specific issues associated with swine veterinary medicine and provide recommendations for actions to the AASV leadership. A list of committees can be found at aasv.org/aasv/committee. Almost all committees need additional members who are swine veterinary practitioners.
Join and maintain membership with AVMA and your state veterinary medication association (VMA) to support swine veterinarians’ relevance within those associations. Share your stories and experiences in the veterinary profession. Introduce yourself to your representatives.
Share your comments with AASV staff, leadership, and committees. Let the association speak for and truly represent its members. Your input helps shape AASV’s official comments.
Now, take action. Volunteer to present Operation Mainstreet presentations in your community or schools. Reach out to colleagues within the veterinary profession to discuss issues. Each allied organization and each state VMA have a representative in the AVMA House of Delegates, listed at avma.org/about/house-of-delegates-directory.
Submit your own comments in response to proposed policy. When submitting comments, you can always use AASV drafts as a guide, but personalization is of most importance. Comments from individuals are often more meaningful.
Introduce yourself to your legislative representatives during a non-crisis time. Offer to be a resource in your area of expertise. Remember, you are an expert and a constituent – they want to hear from you! Remain nonpartisan and offer science-based information and describe the impact to swine medicine. Consider taking a grass roots approach and offer your representative the opportunity to ride along with you to understand and experience veterinary medicine and swine production.3
Might advocacy be your newfound passion? Go big. Participate in the National Pork Producers Council Veterinarian Public Policy Advocacy Program where participating swine veterinarians learn how policy is made on the federal level, about the impact of technical issues on growing international trade, and how to communicate effectively with lawmakers and regulatory officials. Participate in your state veterinary legislative day or the AVMA legislative fly-in that brings veterinarians to Washington to meet with their members of Congress. Become an AVMA ambassador to directly connect with and build relationships with members of Congress in your state.2,4
Your personal story has the most impact. Create relationships and make yourself stand out. Describe who you are, who you represent, how this topic affects you, your practice, the animals under your care, the food you help produce, and the clients for whom you work.
Personal experiences often drive policy more than science. Use this as an opportunity. Veterinary medicine is still a respected profession. Each AASV member has an important voice and story, and no one else can share your experience as a swine veterinarian.
If you are still looking for other ways to become more involved, do not hesitate to contact us at 515-465-5255 or aasv@aasv.org.
Abbey Canon, DVM, MPH, DACVPM Director of Public Health and Communications
References
*1. Snelson H. Who advocates for swine veterinarians? [editorial]. J Swine Health Prod. 2012;20(2):103.
*2. American Veterinary Medical Association. Get Involved. AVMA. Accessed May 2021. https://www.avma.org/advocacy/get-involved
*3. American Veterinary Medical Association. Come one, come all: Member power in AVMA advocacy. AVMA Axon. 2020. https://axon.avma.org/local/catalog/view/product.php?productid=149
*4. YouTube AVMA Advocacy Playlist. Accessed May 2021. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMszZOQAqfuVrnQr__Uq7NMn_poLBZ3m5
* Non-refereed references.